I'm posting this on Wednesday but dating it for Thursday as I don't expect I'll have much of a chance to be on line on the actual day. The last working two days before Christmas see me in Stirling, Scotland and the drive looks like it will be foggy and icy.

For a trip to Scotland, I'm in the habit of breaking my journey on the way up at a pre-booked roadside hotel near to destination, but then leaving the booking open on my way back as I don't know how far I'll be safe to drive at the end of a course. But I've made an exception this week - I'll still be north of the Border on Friday night and I'm already booked. After all, this is the time of year when, historically, there was no room at the Inn ... it brings it to me that Christmas is just a few days away. And I expect that all the world and his Aunt will be travelling at the weekend!

Last Sunday evening, I popped by Melksham Station to see whether or not anyone is using the new 19:51 to Swindon - I can't myself see the market for the Sunday service as provided, but want to be fair to the operator is he HAS got this right. Three people got off; one looked lost and was hanging around the station clearly not knowing where he was going. He asked me where he could get a taxi ... didn't know the town, and I'm thinking first time in Melksham. I directed him but he sounded unsure. "Where are you headed" I asked. "Stoke-on-Trent". Wow - not what expected -it's 150 miles. "My money would only get me this far and I'm going to get a taxi and my friends will pay when I get there". And "can you give me a lift to the town". And ... I'm ashamed of myself. I declined. He looked fit but I wasn't sure if he was really with it. Wasn't sure if I ... well - might have been taking a risk. Odd things worried me and so I 'passed by on the other side'.

I don't profess to any religion - in fact I'm decidedly against. However, there are some good teachings and some codes of behaviour to learn from, even though others are abhorrent. Religious holiday periods such as that one coming up do give us a time to think, to contemplate, to set ourselves on a forward path - we'll be doing that over the next two weeks. And I hope that we'll run forward well in 2007 ... I hope I don't make too many errors of judgement such as the cowardly one I feel I made at the station the other day, and I hope that young man reached Stoke-on-Trent successfully and without too many more slaps in his face.
(written 2006-12-21, updated 2008-12-21)

 Z300 - Politics and Religion
  [3592] Are we one man, one vote? No, and we never have been. - (2012-01-26)
  [3438] Melksham to become a part of Trowbridge? - (2011-09-13)
  [3325] The Olympic Torch, and Melksham House - (2011-06-14)
  [3323] Is Melksham town centre dying? - (2011-06-11)
  [3313] What does our MP do on a Bank Holiday? - (2011-05-30)
  [3264] Alternative Vote (AV) - explaining and an example - (2011-04-25)
  [3051] Positively reforming the system - could it be done? - (2010-11-14)
  [2971] Should the public sector compete with businesses? and other deep questions - (2010-09-26)
  [2948] Melksham shamefully makes the national headlines - (2010-09-07)
  [2870] Old prices - what would the equivalent price have been in 1966? - (2010-07-14)
  [2864] Changing with weather and seasons - (2010-07-10)
  [2856] Two sides of the coin - (2010-07-06)
  [2824] A pint of Black Rat, and a lazy barman - (2010-06-25)
  [2792] Should Government compete with private industry? - (2010-06-03)
  [2757] Bodicea, Lincoln, and our new MP - (2010-05-09)
  [2752] Voting day - UK General Election - (2010-05-06)
  [2740] Melksham Hustings at George Ward School - (2010-04-26)
  [2712] A more informed decision than ever before - (2010-04-08)
  [2689] Can my dog eat potatoes? Doggie Dietary Research, and political sleaze! - (2010-03-23)
  [2640] How is your tax pound spent? - (2010-02-18)
  [2353] All change - Wiltshire Parliamentary - (2009-08-13)
  [2288] Wiltshire Community Area Partnerships - (2009-07-15)
  [2279] Understanding the new local government structure in Wiltshire - (2009-07-11)
  [2270] Wiltshire - a chance to improve life for everybody - (2009-07-05)
  [2257] Ramblings on church and state linkage in Melksham - (2009-06-25)
  [2206] Spot the odd one out - (2009-05-29)
  [2178] Melksham Candidates for Wiltshire Unitary Election - (2009-05-12)
  [2075] Supporting Parkinsons and Trains - (2009-03-11)
  [2028] Things people say on the phone - (2009-02-06)
  [2012] The Wiltshire Police - (2009-01-29)
  [1987] One Cheer for Local Democracy - Asda in Melksham - (2009-01-11)
  [1882] Wiltshire Council says - part 2 - (2008-11-14)
  [1881] Wiltshire Council says - part 1 - (2008-11-13)
  [1872] Barack Obama wins US Predidency - (2008-11-05)
  [1769] July child ponders on August children - (2008-08-23)
  [1729] Back from the future - (2008-07-30)
  [1579] Rome, and the faith of Rome - (2008-03-17)
  [1573] Budget tax increases hit vehicle market - (2008-03-14)
  [1526] Carers at work - court case changes - (2008-02-01)
  [1428] Travel Across Wiltshire - the game - (2007-11-11)
  [1386] New software product for warmblooded programmers - (2007-10-10)
  [1350] FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Western Region - (2007-09-13)
  [1260] An inspirational business talk from one of our prospective MPs - (2007-07-06)
  [1247] An afternoon at a public enquiry - (2007-06-27)
  [1175] Local elections - choosing who to vote for - (2007-05-03)
  [1135] Government pressure on me to shut up after I make the papers - (2007-04-05)
  [1109] False imprisonment - a contrast from the news - (2007-03-15)
  [1060] What a relief from the tax office. - (2007-02-01)
  [967] Realistic on line shoot'em up - (2006-12-05)
  [875] Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones - (2006-09-22)
  [780] Separation and Integration - (2006-06-27)
  [750] Almost everyone loses - (2006-06-07)
  [696] Is than an uphill or downhill task? - (2006-04-23)
  [682] Iran has enriched uranium ... - (2006-04-12)
  [674] Wiltshire to get an extra MP - (2006-04-07)
  [671] Both ends of the animal - (2006-04-05)
  [607] On being British - (2006-02-14)
  [602] MP face to face - (2006-02-12)
  [539] rich and famous - (2005-12-23)
  [505] Would you steal ... petrol? ... a training course? - (2005-11-26)
  [469] Yesterday was Kiss and Ride - (2005-10-19)
  [415] Campaign Drift and efficiency. - (2005-08-15)
  [384] Managing conflict and disappointment - (2005-07-20)
  [377] A Strengthened City - (2005-07-14)
  [335] Sad priorities - (2005-06-03)
  [326] UK Tax payment totals and where the money is spent - (2005-05-27)
  [313] Making bona fide international marriages more difficult - (2005-05-16)
  [301] General Election day, UK - (2005-05-05)
  [289] MP for Devizes, Wiltshire - (2005-04-23)
  [280] Spotted - the local MP - (2005-04-15)
  [257] Politics gets nasty. Must be an election coming up. - (2005-03-25)
  [216] Cheap purchase - votes paid for with selfish promises - (2005-02-15)

Back to Meet the neighbours

Previous and next or Horse's mouth home

Forward to Old dog, old tricks

Friends and family
Apache httpd and Apache Tomcat together tips
Stirling at night
Old dog, old tricks
Room at the Inn, Guy at the station
Meet the neighbours
.pdf files - upload via PHP, store in MySQL, retrieve
One Thousand Posts and still going strong
Cascading and the buses
The year of the exploding projector